Coventry North-east MP Bob Ainsworth has welcomed the prospect of a public court battle between ousted Sky Blues chairman Bryan Richardson and Coventry City Football Club.

Coventry North-east MP Bob Ainsworth has welcomed the prospect of a public court battle between ousted Sky Blues chairman Bryan Richardson and Coventry City Football Club.

He said fans would be fascinated to find out exactly how the club has ended up with debts which reached nearly #60 million, without a ground it owned and being relegated to the First Division.

Mr Richardson is suing the club for #350,000 after he was summarily dismissed in a boardroom coup in January - the equivalent of a year's salary, bonus and perks. The club is planning to counter-sue.

Mr Ainsworth said: "I don't think people have a huge amount of sympathy for Mr Richardson, but I think they'll be fascinated to know the inside story of what's happened at their club.

"If he'd care to tell us, either in court or elsewhere, I'm sure he'll have the ears of Coventry. I don't think any more damage can be done to the football club than that which has already been done."

Mr Ainsworth said a court case would probably be the only way the fans would find out what has happened at the club.

He said: "Only a few years ago the club owned its own ground and the land on which it was to build a stadium and Bryan Richardson was saying there were exciting prospects for the Foleshill gasworks site.

"Over a relatively short period they've come to a position where they don't own the ground, they don't own the contaminated land on which they hope somebody is going to be able to build a stadium and they don't own all their footballers.

"All they own is a pile of debt. "Whether or not they've got there because of heroic attempts to keep them in the Premier League and the necessities of paying wages to top flight players or whether or not there are other reasons for the demise, it would be very nice to understand in detail."

The council now owns the Foleshill site and is hoping to develop an arena with Advantage West Midlands and the club.